


A (Step-) Mother's Love

by LadyFrandrews



Series: Fathom [3]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Susan's POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2020-03-01 15:44:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18803347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyFrandrews/pseuds/LadyFrandrews
Summary: She remembers the first time she ever laid eyes on the blue-eyed devil named William Hargrove.





	A (Step-) Mother's Love

She remembers the first time she ever laid eyes on the blue-eyed devil named William Hargrove. He looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but in her mother’s house for a dinner that was going to make or break him and Maxine. 

 

She’d made sure to make a mixture of Maxine and Billy’s favorite dishes so they’d at least, hopefully, feel somewhat comfortable with their first meeting of their respected parent’s partner. 

 

Max had grumbled for a week that she’d never asked for a brother, let alone one that makes his dad yell and shout into the phone like that. She never asked for a step-dad. She was doing just fine without her real one, what could a replacement have to offer? 

 

She didn’t fuss when Maxine had opted to not change out of her cut-off denims and oversized sweater her grandmother had knit for her at Christmas. Nor did she fuss over not having enough time to properly change from her work clothes into a nice dress she’d picked out just for this meeting. 

 

In hindsight, she’s glad they all showed up, comfortable in their own skins. At least they all appeared to be. 

 

She remembers opening the door once she’d heard the bell ring, smiling at Neil and greeting him with a small peck on the cheek. Neil said hello and introduced his son, Billy. 

 

She’d looked down at the slightly chubby boy and knew that he’d grow out of it in a matter of years. He’d be a handsome young man. But it was the moment she met his blue eyes that she knew for certain he would be trouble.

 

She knew what Neil had told her of his former wife. Billy’s mother. Neil would tell Maxine that Billy’s mother died, but she knew the truth. She decided that Neil wasn’t worth it anymore and didn’t even think to take Billy with her. She packed up and left in a fit of manic rage while he was at school and hasn’t been seen or heard from since. 

 

But she’s seen the postcards. Especially now that all their mail’s finally starting to get forwarded from their old address in California. 

 

She’s never met Billy’s mother, but she doesn’t think she’d be polite to her if she ever did. How could you abandon such a beautiful soul with the ugly monster that is Neil Hargrove when he drinks? 

 

She’s always had a type. Neil would not be a shocker for choice in partner for her. Not with her track record. But he is the first with a kid in tow. 

 

She doesn’t see what Neil sees when she looks at Billy. He’s very smart. Sometimes scarily so. She knows he pretends to be dumber than he actually is. She doesn’t fault him for it. Kids are brutal to each other. 

 

She also knows that his big ol’ brain isn’t the secret he keeps closest. No, that would be the torch he’s carrying around for that Harrington boy, Steve; the one that watches some of Maxine’s friends. 

 

She knows that’s a secret Neil doesn’t know, and grateful for it. She’s not sure Billy would survive the aftermath of his father finding out that he is the faggot he’s constantly labeled as. 

 

He’s a charmer. She’s watched him turn it on and off so fast if she wasn’t adept at watching people he’d give her whiplash because he can swap it out that fast. 

 

She remembers the first time she noticed a change in Billy. 

 

The way his blue eyes shined with happiness, something she’d never seen in them before. 

 

She knows it’s that Harrington boy’s doing too. 

 

Maxine doesn’t even have to ask him for rides, he simply offers a ride, as if he’s already going out in whatever direction she’d need to be going in for her little group of friends. Thank goodness there’s another girl in the mix. 

 

She’s overheard them talking about their little crushes, Lucas and Mike. She’s even overheard Maxine asking Billy about whoever he keeps calling his Princess. She wonders if Max knows Billy’s talking about Steve?

 

She knows that Billy plans to go back to California after graduation and his eighteenth birthday. Neil will no longer have a say in his life and she’s never been more grateful for it. 

 

She’s asked him a few times, when she’s certain both Maxine and Billy are deep asleep or have been out of the house with no promise of a return hours later in the day, about why he takes his anger on Billy’s mom out on their child? 

 

He told her that he knows Billy plans to leave once he can. He won’t be able to stop him. He won’t be too sad to see him go. He just hopes Billy’s learned enough about respect and responsibility to make it on his own. 

 

She’s not stupid, despite him thinking so sometimes. She knows what it means when Neil tells Billy he needs help down in the cellar. She’s not blind. She can see the bruises in the shape of Neil’s boots, or the busted lips. Billy’s very good at using concealer, but she can tell when he has to put it on.

She did tell Neil that if he ever tried to discipline Maxine the same way he does Billy, they would never find his body. She also made a pointed remark about how she feels about Billy. He was momentarily shocked that she finally said something, but she reminded him about respect. Respect her thoughts and opinions. Respect her love for his son,  _ her _ step-son. She knows how men like Neil operate. Their own words are always their downfalls. 

 

She never tried to replace his mother. She remembers the first time he looked lost in their kitchen after moving into their old house in Martinez. Neil had told her that Billy’d been the one that was cooking and so she’d asked him if he wanted to help her. The look of fear that crossed his face, she hates that he still has flashes of it to date. But she cherishes those few evenings when he’d help her in the kitchen. They would talk and laugh and sing to whatever was on the radio. 

 

She compared him a lot to Maxine at first. 

 

She’s long since stopped doing that.

 

She knows that tonight’s a big deal for Billy, and she imagines Steve too. Maxine’s having a birthday party and everyone she’s deemed important enough is coming. Jane and Chief Hopper. Joyce and her boys. Karen and her children. Steve. Dustin and Claudia. The whole Sinclair family. She adores Erica. In another life she’d like to think she could be that opinionated as that girl is. 

 

Neil is away for the weekend. His youngest brother has asked him to be the godfather to his newest baby. A girl. He’s out in Arizona until Tuesday evening. He’s big on respect and responsibility.

 

She’s made sure everything’s in order before she heads towards Billy’s bedroom. The door’s cracked and she can see him fussing over his hair. 

 

She knocks softly and waits until he gives her permission to come in.

 

“Oh, hey Sue, you need help with anything else?”

 

She smiles and shakes her head then says, “Yes, sit with me for a moment, please.”

 

She sits on the edge of his bed, clasps her hands in her lap and watches as he fiddles with his hair, looking at her through the reflection of his mirror. 

 

He turns around and looks at her before sitting down beside her. 

 

“I know I’ve never said this to you before, but I need you to know that I love you.”

 

She sees his entire body tense at her words. 

 

“I also know about you and Steve.”

 

She can see panic seize him.

 

“I want you to know that it’s okay. I’m happy for you. The both of you.”

 

She reaches out and touches his forearm, “I won’t tell, and he doesn’t know.”

 

She watches as relief floods his entire body. Watches his eyes fill and leak tears that she’s sure he’s never let out, not for  _ this _ . 

 

She pulls him to her, wraps her arms around him and feels her own eyes water and well up when she feels his arms, tentatively at first, wrap around her in return. 

 

She runs fingers through his hair, she’s always been a little jealous of his curls and she starts to rock them.

 

She’s not sure how long they sat there together, but she’ll forever be grateful for Billy giving her that moment. The doorbell breaks them apart. She wipes her cheeks, and thinks but doesn’t follow through about pressing a kiss to his forehead. 

 

“When Steve gets here I’ll send him to you,” she says standing in his doorway.

 

He just nods and before she completely turns and goes down the hall. 

 

She can hear Dusty before she even gets to the door, and puts on a smile for him and his mother, saint of a woman she is. She’s shocked, but not really once she thinks about it, to see Steve lingering behind them. Claudia mentions that Steve picked her and Dusty up. Such a gentleman. 

 

She guides Claudia and Dustin through to the kitchen, putting a hand on Steve’s arm to catch him privately. He looks a little confused but she smiles, does her best to make sure it’s genuine.

 

“Can you go check on Billy? I may have thrown him off his game, but I, I’m happy he has you by his side.”

 

She can see a blush crawl up Steve’s neck to his cheeks. She points down the hall and watches him go. She can hear Maxine talking to Dusty and Claudia in the kitchen so she allows herself to watch Steve as he heads towards Billy.

 

She watches the tension leave his body as he takes each step towards Billy’s room. 

 

She watches as he glances back over his shoulder once he reaches the doorway, and then as he knocks.

 

She watches as a grin erupts, she can tell from his profile that it’s the kind of smile you give someone you love. 

 

She watches as Billy steps out and pulls Steve into a hug, pressing a kiss to his lips. Watches as Steve tenses but then immediately goes pliant against Billy. 

 

A knock breaks her attention and she can see balloons through the window on the front door. She glances down the hallway once more, they’ve disappeared into Billy’s room. With a smile she turns her attention once more to the door and greets the next round of guests. It’s Jim and Jane, Joyce and the boys. 

 

She wonders if Jim and Joyce know they’re about as subtle as Billy and Steve are. 

 

When Joyce asks about Billy, and thought that she saw Steve’s car, she makes a very loud statement about them having taken her car out to grab a few last minute items. 

 

She knows the two boys in the back room at the end of the hall are happy. She knows that they’re in love, and might have the courage to ask them about it one day. But for now she’s going to let them have their moment. Afterall, Neil won’t be home for another few days and Billy deserves to be happy. 

 

She will give him that for as long as she can. 


End file.
